The Academy and Jr. Company Return Victorious from The Junior Theater Festival

The Asheville Arts Center took its Academy and Jr. Company students to learn, compete, and audition at the Junior Theater Festival, the largest festival in the world dedicated to kids’ musical theater, this past weekend in Atlanta – and boy did they represent the AAC and WNC!

Stephen Schwartz presents awards

The Junior Company performed, “Alice and Wonderland, Jr.”, for which they received an award for “Best Acting.” Gavin Reep and Sarah Plaut were selected as All-Star Performers! Aislin Thompson was invited to audition for the MTI choreography DVD. She made it through all the call backs and will possibly be traveling to New York City this summer to film with other children from all over North America. Out of more than 1,600 children, five AAC students were invited to audition.

The Academy performed “Once on this Island, Jr.” in which Mary Katherine O’Donnell was selected as “Best Actress,” and Savannah Crespo and Lincoln Belford were selected as All-Star Performers.

The “All-Star Performers” got the opportunity to be directed and accompanied by one of Broadways most sought after musical directors, Seth Rudetsky. Rudetsky was the musical director for such Broadway shows as Dreamgirls, Chess, Hair, and more!

The Asheville Arts Center also received the highest honor and most prestigious award for our programs, the Junior Theater Festival “Freddie G.” award. Another special treat was that the award was presented to us by Stephen Schwartz, the composer of many famous Broadway Musicals, including Wicked and Godspell!

Ann Mahoney Kadar was director for The Academy Kids, Kurt Campbell was Music Director, and Andrew Gall, our very own Director of Drama, was producer and consultant.

Dominic Aquilino was director for the Junior Company, Robyn Parnell was Music Director, and Mary Katherine Smith was the choreographer with Mandy Phillips as assistant.

We’re so proud of all of our students, instructors, and loyal parents for making all of this possible! Congratulations to you all!

Here are just a couple of pictures from the festival. Click the thumbnail for a larger image:

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